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GSIS and Ma On Shan
- Thread starter genome
- Start date
Courtbas,
Thanks for the information.
I went into St. Paul Co-educational College's website and found that they are going to redevelop their old site at MacDonnell Road into an extension block for the secondary school. I called Victoria Shanghai Academy and they only told me that they won't have another school in Wan Chai. They don't know what's going to happen to their old site. I can't find any information about the 2 ESF sites mentioned by you. Perhaps some parents might know about them and give us information.
I also read in the Apple Daily Newspaper today that ESF is going to spend HK$640M to redevelop Kowloon Junior School and King George V School. Furthermore, they also intend to either renovate or redevelop Island School. So GSIS might not be the only school looking for school sites and there are others who are just as keen. In fact, I wonder if the Government will give the other schools higher priority because we have already been given the Pokfulam site. I know that Singapore International School has already started to renovate the Wong Chuk Hang site for their secondary school use. The question is whether GSIS will be left behind in terms of facilities etc. if we do nothing. By the way, when we talk about school sites, apart from the location, we must also take into account the size of the existing building and the facilities available etc. Can the building accommodate all our students? What facilities has it got? What is its state and condition? When will it become available? .....
Thanks for the information.
I went into St. Paul Co-educational College's website and found that they are going to redevelop their old site at MacDonnell Road into an extension block for the secondary school. I called Victoria Shanghai Academy and they only told me that they won't have another school in Wan Chai. They don't know what's going to happen to their old site. I can't find any information about the 2 ESF sites mentioned by you. Perhaps some parents might know about them and give us information.
I also read in the Apple Daily Newspaper today that ESF is going to spend HK$640M to redevelop Kowloon Junior School and King George V School. Furthermore, they also intend to either renovate or redevelop Island School. So GSIS might not be the only school looking for school sites and there are others who are just as keen. In fact, I wonder if the Government will give the other schools higher priority because we have already been given the Pokfulam site. I know that Singapore International School has already started to renovate the Wong Chuk Hang site for their secondary school use. The question is whether GSIS will be left behind in terms of facilities etc. if we do nothing. By the way, when we talk about school sites, apart from the location, we must also take into account the size of the existing building and the facilities available etc. Can the building accommodate all our students? What facilities has it got? What is its state and condition? When will it become available? .....
ISF campus # 1 is at the corner of Stubbs Road and Queen's road east. I've been in there before. It was not bad (my standard). I believe it was their Primary school campus. Classrooms were sufficient. Now if parents are expecting "facilities" then no, you'll be disappointed. But given the location, compromises must be made.
The Causeway Campus was on Hospital Road in Causeway Bay. If you do some researches, you cuold probably find the address on the web.
The Causeway Campus was on Hospital Road in Causeway Bay. If you do some researches, you cuold probably find the address on the web.
happyhour thank you for checking to find out information on the suggested sites.
there are many factors that will affect what needs to be done. I dont think that anyone is suggesting that we do nothing in that it will not serve any purpose and there is definately no benefit to anyone. Neither seondary nor primary.
I keep coming back to the fact that we as a school need to do what is best for the school as a whole for now and for the future. The outstanding question is. "Is MOS the answer? " Many people feel that it is not and there are many reasons as to why they feel this. In my opinion MOS needs to be explained as to why this is the best option, what alternatives were explored and over what time frame, what provisons have been made to accomodte students, why were none of the greenfield sites and there were four of them given up by the chief executive specifically for international schools good enought for the school etc etc.
To date many of the answers that I hear coming back from the school are "we will work this out when we secure the site." or "Look at our pretty artists impressions of what the school will look like when we finish all four stages of development." Whenever that may be. Or "we will set up a task force with parents included to deal with those issues". Which to me are answers that are not good enough when we are talking about the education and safety of the youngest members of the school.
Only if the board can really prove to me and maybe to the other parents that MOS is the only option and that the board has done all that they could have done over time to look after the best interests of the school. Will parents be happy. If we get to this point then parents will be able to make choices based on full disclosure.
The only reason that parents are up in arms about this is that they all feel very passionate about the school and care about the school and are part of the GSIS which we are all so proud of.
there are many factors that will affect what needs to be done. I dont think that anyone is suggesting that we do nothing in that it will not serve any purpose and there is definately no benefit to anyone. Neither seondary nor primary.
I keep coming back to the fact that we as a school need to do what is best for the school as a whole for now and for the future. The outstanding question is. "Is MOS the answer? " Many people feel that it is not and there are many reasons as to why they feel this. In my opinion MOS needs to be explained as to why this is the best option, what alternatives were explored and over what time frame, what provisons have been made to accomodte students, why were none of the greenfield sites and there were four of them given up by the chief executive specifically for international schools good enought for the school etc etc.
To date many of the answers that I hear coming back from the school are "we will work this out when we secure the site." or "Look at our pretty artists impressions of what the school will look like when we finish all four stages of development." Whenever that may be. Or "we will set up a task force with parents included to deal with those issues". Which to me are answers that are not good enough when we are talking about the education and safety of the youngest members of the school.
Only if the board can really prove to me and maybe to the other parents that MOS is the only option and that the board has done all that they could have done over time to look after the best interests of the school. Will parents be happy. If we get to this point then parents will be able to make choices based on full disclosure.
The only reason that parents are up in arms about this is that they all feel very passionate about the school and care about the school and are part of the GSIS which we are all so proud of.
I have been reading this forum for a few days and agree with the different opinion posted. As most of you know that the everytime the school propose a meeting or raise a question, its always before a holiday when people do not have enough time to react.I am wondering if the school can propose a delay in replying to the ED so that we have more time for discussion and find more option to solve the problem as one united community.The staff in ED also agrees that the school should stand on the same platform before committing to the decision.
Parent thank you for your reply.
I agree that it is worth tyring to find out if we can have some kind of delay in when we need to get back to the ED. I am sure that the ED also wants to be sure that the school is completely commited to this as a whole and that parents want this to happen.
For a decision of this magnitude and one that will affect how the school will look going in to the future the whole school needs to be behind this or else it will be destined to fail or only achieve half or less of what it was meant to do. So the extra time we may be granted will allow everything to come out on the table for us to make our choice.
Everyone have a nice weekend.
I agree that it is worth tyring to find out if we can have some kind of delay in when we need to get back to the ED. I am sure that the ED also wants to be sure that the school is completely commited to this as a whole and that parents want this to happen.
For a decision of this magnitude and one that will affect how the school will look going in to the future the whole school needs to be behind this or else it will be destined to fail or only achieve half or less of what it was meant to do. So the extra time we may be granted will allow everything to come out on the table for us to make our choice.
Everyone have a nice weekend.
To the Board and the Concerned Parents!
We have followed this forum for quite some time and also had many conversation with parents as well as members of the board.
First of all I believe it can be said there is a general consensus that GSIS needs to be upgraded in order to continue providing a sustainable high standard of education for the many generations of children to come.
However, listening and looking at all sorts of communication in respect to the Ma On Shan issue it is more than obvious that there is a great lack of communication and ability to look through the other parties glasses in order to understand each other's concerns. Only if all parties involved are prepared and ready to listen to each other and to fully disclose all information we will have a chance to find an amicable solution.
The Board has to understand that we, the parents are sort of shareholders of the school by holding the debentures and as such we are to be treated with respect and we are entitled to full transparency and disclosure.
Such transparency means also professional and clear communication. I understand that most of the Board members don't come from a background of companies that are used to have advanced communication techniques with employees or shareholders. But there is professional help available and the task should be "How can we generate a base to discuss with all stakeholders at an equal level to find an amicable solution which is in the true interest of the majority, if not everybody, to upgrade our school".
On the other side there is the group of concerned parents who have pointed out all the disadvantages of Ma On Shan in all lengths and that no sound and feasible scheme to finance the complete project has been presented by the Board. They also tell us how bad the current Board is.
My questions are:
To the Board:
- Why don't you give us a full picture of the history of the project - in a simple PowerPoint presentation without sentiments? This would help most parents to understand what efforts the Board has actually made over the last (how many years ?) and the crux GSIS is in. Hasn't our situation even been addressed to Donald Tsang by the German government when he was visiting Germany?
- List all decanting sites the HK government has proposed since the beginning of the project and the results of the comprehensive analysis by GSIS of the suitability for each proposed site.
- List all actions undertaken by the Board to get a better decanting site from the government. It would help the parents to understand that actually major efforts have been made on all possible levels.
- Give us a prudent (incl. 40% excess of the actual planned costs) plan how to finance the project. (Come on guys, you would never approve such investment in your own companies based on such poor finance plan you have provided so far !).
- Please list out all the consequences if we do not except Ma On Shan !
To the concerned parents:
- What alternatives do you have to propose to make the upgrade possible? Again, list it in a simple bullet list.
- Have any of you made yourself available for election as Board member and make all your spare time and your company resources available for the work as a Board member? If yes, why were you not elected because you are claiming that the majority of parents is of your opinion?
- Please list out all the consequences if we do not except Ma On Shan !
I hope my article initiates a process of re-thinking on both sides and makes you understand that we, the stakeholders in GSIS, can only succeed to provide our children a sustainable future in education if we all pull our act together, apply common sense and are deep down willing to extend our hand to the other side and work together.
Don't blame it on the other side because it needs two to tango and the truth is somewhere in between.
It's our children's future that is at stake and ours !
We have followed this forum for quite some time and also had many conversation with parents as well as members of the board.
First of all I believe it can be said there is a general consensus that GSIS needs to be upgraded in order to continue providing a sustainable high standard of education for the many generations of children to come.
However, listening and looking at all sorts of communication in respect to the Ma On Shan issue it is more than obvious that there is a great lack of communication and ability to look through the other parties glasses in order to understand each other's concerns. Only if all parties involved are prepared and ready to listen to each other and to fully disclose all information we will have a chance to find an amicable solution.
The Board has to understand that we, the parents are sort of shareholders of the school by holding the debentures and as such we are to be treated with respect and we are entitled to full transparency and disclosure.
Such transparency means also professional and clear communication. I understand that most of the Board members don't come from a background of companies that are used to have advanced communication techniques with employees or shareholders. But there is professional help available and the task should be "How can we generate a base to discuss with all stakeholders at an equal level to find an amicable solution which is in the true interest of the majority, if not everybody, to upgrade our school".
On the other side there is the group of concerned parents who have pointed out all the disadvantages of Ma On Shan in all lengths and that no sound and feasible scheme to finance the complete project has been presented by the Board. They also tell us how bad the current Board is.
My questions are:
To the Board:
- Why don't you give us a full picture of the history of the project - in a simple PowerPoint presentation without sentiments? This would help most parents to understand what efforts the Board has actually made over the last (how many years ?) and the crux GSIS is in. Hasn't our situation even been addressed to Donald Tsang by the German government when he was visiting Germany?
- List all decanting sites the HK government has proposed since the beginning of the project and the results of the comprehensive analysis by GSIS of the suitability for each proposed site.
- List all actions undertaken by the Board to get a better decanting site from the government. It would help the parents to understand that actually major efforts have been made on all possible levels.
- Give us a prudent (incl. 40% excess of the actual planned costs) plan how to finance the project. (Come on guys, you would never approve such investment in your own companies based on such poor finance plan you have provided so far !).
- Please list out all the consequences if we do not except Ma On Shan !
To the concerned parents:
- What alternatives do you have to propose to make the upgrade possible? Again, list it in a simple bullet list.
- Have any of you made yourself available for election as Board member and make all your spare time and your company resources available for the work as a Board member? If yes, why were you not elected because you are claiming that the majority of parents is of your opinion?
- Please list out all the consequences if we do not except Ma On Shan !
I hope my article initiates a process of re-thinking on both sides and makes you understand that we, the stakeholders in GSIS, can only succeed to provide our children a sustainable future in education if we all pull our act together, apply common sense and are deep down willing to extend our hand to the other side and work together.
Don't blame it on the other side because it needs two to tango and the truth is somewhere in between.
It's our children's future that is at stake and ours !
My suggestion is that we should all register to vote on the General meeting in March. And, let us speak out during the meeting. Let our vote tell the school what we think.
BTW, there will be another wave of local school termination coming in next 2 years esp in secondary schools because of the drop of student population. There are already 50 possible schools on the list. It is worth looking into the chance of getting another decanting site in the next 2 years.
BTW, there will be another wave of local school termination coming in next 2 years esp in secondary schools because of the drop of student population. There are already 50 possible schools on the list. It is worth looking into the chance of getting another decanting site in the next 2 years.
About this archive
This is an archive of over 20 years of GeoBaby and GeoSchools knowledge and discussions, kept online as a read-only reference.